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Pacman retro keyring with authentic sounds

Paladone have a good reputation for making quirky gadget toys and kitchen implements, in particular I like their humanoid corkscrew, bottle opener and bottle stopper. They're rather funny. This particular item of theirs though is a retro key ring attachment, one which has its positives and negatives.

The key ring comes in typical plastic throwaway packaging. There's nothing special about it but it is quite easy to get into and get the product out easily enough. The lure of this though is in the gadget itself. It's an image that is well known no matter your age, although those in their 30s are most likely to appreciate this as it was one of the biggest arcade games around 20 years ago.

The gadget is Pacman himself, a yellow ball with a segment sliced out of it for a mouth and a couple of eyes thrown in for good measure. It's a good quality design that looks intricate even when examined up close, and the key chain it's attached to is quite good quality as well. The ring it has at its end also has enough turns in it as well as being thick enough to attach it to other things without worrying that it's going to come off easily.

Perhaps the biggest draw to it though is the noise it makes. Under the mouth area of the Pacman there is a small button and when you push it the traditional Pacman sounds come out of it. It's the noise you get when Pacman is eating, and it's one of the most recognisable arcade sounds, and is the best bit about the keyring. The sound probably lasts for around 10 seconds or so, and is quite distinctive, not muffled like a lot of similar products often are.

But the negative element of this really comes in its practicality. I tend to go for key rings that are easy to pop in your pocket, but the dimensions of this make it awkward with this one. The round nature of it isn't exactly ideal, and this is a good 10cm across anyway so it can sit rather awkwardly in your pocket if you have anything else in there or if your keys are of a decent size as a bunch. I suppose this is okay if you have accommodating pockets, but this often isn't the case and so it kind of bugs me at times. To be honest, my wife has it on her bunch a lot of the time and I don't tend to bother much now.

If you're not restricted by pocket size, then this is a fun and quirky gadget to get hold of. Most paladone products are readily available on amazon and this one is no exception. At £6 or so, it's certainly not cheap, but then the product is of decent quality and I guess you're paying for the retro cool aspect of it as well. This is one of those which is probably a bit frivolous for buying for yourself but is quite a good thing to get as a gift for someone else. Decent enough, quality design and authentic sounds from Pacman, but awkward in your pocket and not cheap.

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Who said key rings couldn't be fun? A cute, fun and practical key chain

Paladone Retro Pac-Man Key Ring

I bought this key ring as a little stocking filler for my boyfriend this Christmas just gone. He is a big gaming fan and although he is very much into the more modern Xbox games who can resist the cute little retro Pac Man! This item is made by Paladone whose quirky products I have bought in the past and know them to be good quality and fun!

The Packaging

The little Pac Man comes sealed in a plastic casing which is flush against the key ring with a cardboard insert around it. The cardboard has the classic Pac Man gaming scene and branding drawn across it and stands out very nicely. You can see the Pac Man inside with his big mouth wide open. It's a cute and funky little toy.

The Key Ring

The Pac Man key ring has approximate dimensions of 12.6 cm ( with chain) x 6.5 cm x 5.4 cm, which is quite chunky for a key ring but worth the extra bulk in my opinion. The Pac Man is obviously a bright yellow colour with the inside of his mouth coloured black and little black eyes drawn on the top of his circular head. He looks just like the classic gaming icon and brings a smile to your face!

On top of Pac Man's head is the key ring and chain, this is quite short and it is has a clip on chain. The key ring itself is the typical size; with about a 1 inch diameter and this can fit a good few keys on comfortably.

The best thing about this key ring is it that it comes with its own special sound effect! This is the retro Pac Man arcade music which you can hear at the touch of a button. The button is underneath his 'chin' and is a simple press operation. There is only one music option and it plays Pac Man eating arcade music for about 5-10 seconds. This is great fun and my boyfriend liked his present very much which is the main thing.

Other Info:

2 Lithium ion batteries required - included

Not suitable for children under three

You can buy these online at places like Amazon and Play and it retails for around £6 so a good price for a quirky and fun little gift. I think people of most ages would appreciate this practical yet entertaining key ring. 5 Stars!